Program in Ghana Offers Special Opportunity in Leadership, Environment

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Nov 18, 2010, 01:47 ET

PITTSBURGH, Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Professionals in fields where energy and environment intersect, as well as graduate students and junior faculty, have an opportunity to participate in a unique professional development opportunity in Ghana.

A partnership between the University of Ghana and Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of State, will train emerging U.S. leaders in strategies for handling the complex societal, economic and environmental challenges arising from energy extraction.

The University of Ghana in Accra, Ghana, will host this Emerging Leaders' Extraction and Environment Program (E-LEEP) in July 2011.

"The discovery of off-shore oil in Ghana makes the need critical for its leaders to maximize benefits to its citizens and to minimize negative environmental and societal impacts," said Dr. Dorothy Bassett, Dean of Duquesne's School of Leadership. "In the U.S., we face similar concerns with processes such as off-shore drilling, shale extraction and mountaintop coal removal.

"Initially, it might appear that few parallels exist between concerns in a developing African country and those in mature industrial regions in the U.S. In reality, the patterns of investment, economic gain and cost, community impact and environmental effects are remarkably consistent," Bassett said.

"U.S. participants will not only provide professional insight into strategies for extraction in Ghana, they also will enhance knowledge and leadership skills that can be applied to their roles in the U.S., as well as expand skills and opportunities to work in an international context."

E-LEEP will include lectures, site visits and events, contributing to participants' understanding of energy extraction while providing valuable exposure to a different country and culture. Scholarships cover program fees, airfare and lodging, and will include a modest per diem for meals.

Applications, criteria and more program details are available at www.duq.edu/eleep.

Duquesne University

Founded in 1878, Duquesne is ranked among the nation's top Catholic universities for its award-winning faculty and tradition of academic excellence. The University is nationally ranked by U.S. News and World Report and the Princeton Review for its rich academic programs in 10 schools of study for 10,000-plus graduate and undergraduate students. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Princeton Review's Guide to Green Colleges acknowledge Duquesne's commitment to sustainability.

www.duq.edu

SOURCE Duquesne University